Stevenage Central Premier Travel Inn

... audience at the back and along the Cat Walk. We went backstage and saw where they paint the sets, massive, the cranes, Elevated Work Platforms and scaffolding. Next we handled some old props, including a severed head, some fruit and some dog's heads. Anyone with an interest in threatre will love this tour and it comes highly recommended - the highlight for me so far. Crest of London Shop. We visited the Crest of London Shop, and had a 19 ...

... minute souvenirs before boarding. An uneventful trip we touched down just before 4pm and I said goodbye to Kel who was heading straight up to Edinburgh. I had hoped to sit on the tube all the way thru to Arnos Grove but as my luck would have it the Picadilly line was shut from Hyde Park Corner to Arnos Grove beacuse of a bomb or fire threat that the firebrigade was investigating. So I had to change for the district/circle ...

... a dream for me, there are so many good musicals and other shows on in London that you could easily watch one every week. Or in my case, if we get back from our tour early enough tomorrow, I'll make it three nights in a row of them.<br><br><br><br>While we were out today, Mich went shopping again. She's come up with a new catchphrase that's started getting on my nerves. If she says "That's amay-zeng" one more time that pillow's gonna get much much closer to her face.

... than the occasional snore and baby cry, it was pretty uneventful. Then I caught the connecting train (the San Joaquin) into Oakland, on which I met this cool old-er woman named Flo. She was great, had a lot to say about her Grandson, who, by the way she talks, is a prodigy at everything; but of course thats how grandsons are viewed by their Grandmothers in most cases. So, I'm in Oakland, and need to get to the BART. I don't know Oakland ...

... The neighbourhood is very ethnic, mostly Jamaican. Once you walk down the street (Canadian Ave.!) a bit and get to the old houses and gardens, it becomes a lot quieter, although we don't seem to be far from Gatwick. The kids are happy with space to run around, trampolines and a pool. There are already roses blooming in the garden right ...

... everyone. The few that didn't looked around awkwardly and then started applauding themselves. I didn't. I don't think it's a Canadian thing. Maybe British? Or perhaps I was just surrounded by idiots and fools. Who knows... lol (and if you clap on a plane...well, I'm sorry. Please explain why!) The flight actually got in early, making my lay-over nearly 10 hours! However, I did plan on leaving the airport to explore, so it worked to my ...

... two complete strangers for twelve hours is not my idea of a good time (unless they're lithe nubile-types) but, if the aircraft made it to London I would be satisfied. After less than zero minutes sleep and an eternity of watching rubbish on the little TV screen in front of me I was grateful to finally land in the fog at Heathrow at 5am. Despite rushing out of the terminal in the vain hope of catching Michael (with whom I had arranged to ...

... the 1950's by Sun Ra (1914 - 1993). John Coltrane, Andre 3000, Frank Zappa, Cecil Taylor, Sylvester Stewart and Charles Mingus all speak of Sun Ra's influence. Although acclaimed in the rest of the world, Sun Ra was, and is, little known in his country of birth, the U.S.A. As with many American musicians ahead of their time, Sun Ra found his audience elsewhere. Music fans, particularly in Europe, not only found his musical freedom and experimentation fascinating, but ...

so tonight is laundry and vodka night... am home trying to get all my clothes clean as tonight is my last night i have free before my trip on friday! yikes! i'm gonna need alot of knickers between now and then, lol. altho dressing for tattoo conventions is easy. skirt so i can show off my xed ...

Here I am about to leave (again) but after 3 false starts I think we're going to make it this time. Emotions are running high but all focused on a positive goal. I've spent the week packing and repacking my bag to try and get everything in without exceeding the measly baggage limit too much - can't be paying £24 a kilo when you're on a limited budget. Pakistan here I come.